Exciting journey is what makes life beautiful. Understanding life of other successful people, learning from their mistakes and experiences. Inculcating the values in us helps in long run.
From childhood, we hear stories of many personalities and their amazing experiences. Aankith Aroraa – The CEO of Streamline Beauty India Private Limited, lived such experience, which helped him build multiple beauty products brands in India!
He shared some insights with us for everyone to learn!
Q. As a child, were you certain that when you grow, you will become an Entrepreneur? If yes, then what was the reason?
During my formative years growing up, my grandfather always wished for me to become a doctor. For me, I always thought of myself as someone who wished to enter a creative field, I had the love for marketing in me. I always had the inclination of wanting to build a brand, and as a child would keep thinking of random ideas, even silly ones at times – or so I thought at the time, as some of those same ideas have had the biggest breakthroughs in today’s time.
Q. When did you think of pursuing your career as an Entrepreneur?
After completing my graduation in marketing from Monash University Melbourne, I came back and joined Heinz Agency – that manages brands like Complan and Glucon D. The initial period of my career was spent with Heinz learning the workings of building brands. I worked as a distributor for Procter and Gamble for over 10 years, alongside Gillette where I was able to learn the market strategy required to launch products, what type of initiatives and advertisements to run.
I have been fortunate enough to learn from experts like Procter and Gamble, Heinz which gave me the courage and learnings to delve into the import industry. This was a huge step forward in a way where it shaped my journey from being just an importer or brand builder to a brand creator, brand builder and marketer.
Q. Guide us about your journey after you became an entrepreneur.
Speaking about my journey, it has been wonderful to say the least. There have been so many amazing moments and no journey is complete without a fair share of mistakes and challenges. I have learnt so much from each mistake, learnt to improvise and excel at everything we do.
“I always believe that we are our own competition, and there is scope to improve with each passing day. The journey is all about learning from new people, from mistakes and improving with each day.” – Aankith Arora
Q. What was the biggest challenge you faced in your life and how did you overcome it?
Managing my time efficiently has been one of the biggest challenges I have faced. I have always tried to do everything myself and being everywhere at the same time. However, building people, training people, and investing in them has been one of the best outcomes. I would say we have managed to create a great team with many entrepreneurs sharing responsibilities from me.
We have grown three-fold, because the minute your team is great, you train them personally, your belief in them is strong and professionally it helps the business grow.
Q. Which are some skills which you think you should have learnt earlier?
One cannot learn all the skills possible; I truly believe that. I think one must hire people that have a large skill set including skill sets that you may not possess. What remains important is that you need to show them a vision, a goal and how to execute with excellence. Together their strength coupled with your own strength can lead you to achieve greater milestones.
Q. Tell us about one of your experiences during your journey of entrepreneurship, which you will always remember.
The one experience that I will always remember occurred at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, we were a complete B2B business supplying to salons. The experience running a business has taught us to focus on productivity and budgeting, striking a balance between volume, value, and viability.
When the pandemic happened, being a salon distributor or supplier in India, we realised the element of hygiene was extremely important to get customers back to the Salon. During the first 20 days of the first nationwide lockdown, we launched a brand called MeSafe Hygiene Essentials consisting of disposable kits for all services.
The fact that we launched a whole new brand amidst the pandemic was admired by the salon fraternity and I remain proud of.
Q. Tell us about your business.
The business revolves around the motto – Beauty builds Bridges. It is all about bringing the best professional products to consumers in the Indian market, hairdressers, salons, manicurists and for different therapies. We aim to beautify and that is our business in a nutshell.
Olaplex
Olaplex products forge a relationship with the user when it begins enhancing the consumers natural beauty and integrity. The brand believes that every product should making the hair beautiful by leaving it healthier
Kevin Murphy
All the ingredients used in the products are purely botanical and derived from nature such as fruit, flower or any other part of the plant. The range consists of products that focus on rejuvenation, anti-ageing, thickening, plumping, volume, hydration, nourishment among others.
Bombini
A fusion brand of Bomb Cosmetics and our own in-house brand that is fun, fabulous, and flirty. All their products have 30% Shea Butter which focuses on deep conditioning.
Saniolla
Saniolla is our in-house brand which has various products like 3-in-1 hand mists with 70% alcohol and a soothing fragrance. The hand cream with Aloe Vera and Basil Extracts, face masks made of Sea Algae – which are known for its anti-aging, rejuvenation, hydration, de tan and instant glow are popular too.
“If you are persistent and passionate, anything can be achieved. At the same time, it is very important to be logical and calculative. Having learned this is the hard way, we must do things with a lot of passion but in a very calculative and viable way, which keeps the overall business model healthy, consistent, and sustainable.”
